


A Marriage of INconvenience

by junko



Series: Chasing Demons [54]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2013-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-07 04:53:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/744457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things to continue to unravel for Renji and Byakuya as they deal with the fall-out of having been discovered in an intimate moment by the Division's Third Seat....</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Marriage of INconvenience

Leaving Byakuya’s office, Renji went back down to the practice yard. Pulling the Ninth Seat aside, he told her to just go ahead and lead the rest of the evening drills. He had some schedules to rearrange in the wake of the rather public departure of their Third Seat, Miisho Ōta.

“Is Miisho gone for good, sir?” she asked him, sounding shocked and heartbroken. She was blond and tiny and wore her hair in a girlish style. 

Looking at her made Renji feel like he was talking to a younger sister, and he hated the idea of lying to her… to any of them. “I don’t know. I guess we have to wait and see.”

“What happened to him?” she pressed. “He’s always so calm and steady. I’ve never see him explode that.”

“Me, neither,” Renji agreed, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion drag his shoulders down. 

“He was pretty mad at you about something, huh?”

“Yeah, he was.” Renji looked out at the rest of the squad. They were all acting like they weren’t paying attention, but every ear was pivoted in his direction. “I can’t talk about it now,” he told them all. “But it looks like I’m going to have to make some kind of public announcement or have the captain make an official statement or something. Probably in the morning, once the captain and I have had a chance to sort through everything.”

She was still blinking up at him, hopeful for more news.

“Tomorrow, all right? In the meantime, get back to work.”

She bowed her acknowledgment of the order and returned to her place in the yard. He watched her go with a frown. What the fuck were they going to tell people?

#

Renji had most of the shifts covered by the time the Fourth Seat Nanako Imai appeared at his office door. He looked up at her light knock. 

“No surprise. We couldn’t find Soi Fon’s breach,” she reported, stepping inside to sit in the chair across from Renji’s desk. She was tall and lanky, with deep brown skin and striking blue-green eyes. Her straight black hair was parted on the side and fell to nearly her waist. She kept it from her eyes with two thin braids that fell on either side of her face, while the rest flowed freely down her back. The braids were threaded with bright orange ribbons that matched the tsuka ito of her zanpakutō. “I hear I missed quite the show in the practice yard. People are saying the Third blew a gasket and you ended up throwing him out into the street. What happened?”

Setting aside the paperwork to take up to the captain’s office later, Renji regarded Nanako for a long moment. With a nod, he made a decision. “I think you better shut the door.”

Giving him a sidelong glance through her narrow, almond-shaped eyes, she got up to take care of it. Once it slid closed she said, “It’s that serious?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. She resumed her seat across from him, and he stared back at her, trying to make the words come. He had no idea how she was going to take the news, but, damn it, it just wasn’t in his nature not to be honest and come clean. Finding a spot on his desk, Renji focused on it. “I don’t know what the captain is going to have me say to the Division tomorrow, but you need to know the truth.” He looked up then to give Nanako a little encouraging smile. “You’re going to be in charge now, you know. Once I’m off to the Human World, you’re pretty much acting lieutenant. Play it right and you might get to keep the job.”

“Keep the job? You don’t mean as lieutenant, do you? Did Miisho quit? Am I going to be permanent Third?”

Renji tried to wave off a future he wasn’t ready to face. “Yeah, who knows? But… step up, okay? Play for keeps. This is an opportunity you shouldn’t waste. Hell, some good ought to come out of it.”

Nanako frowned at him for a long moment, clearly digesting all of this and trying to put pieces of the puzzle together. Finally, she caught his eyes in that eerie, intense blue-green gaze of hers. “What happened, Renji?”

A thousand answers jittered through his brain making his jaw clench and tighten. Finally, he just shrugged, his eyes sliding away guiltily. “I… uh, look, it’s like this: I got caught with my pants down. There’s probably going to be charges of fraternization.”

There was silence, and then an exasperated sigh, “Oh, Renji! You stupid, stupid man. How could you be so…? Ugh!” When he had no answer for that, she clucked her tongue and shook her head reproachfully. After a moment, she continued, “So okay, that explains some of what I heard that the Third said, like the whole dirty dog thing, but not why he stormed off. I’m sure you’ve ended it or are going to transfer whoever she is, right?”

Renji scratched the back of his neck. Wincing, he said, “Yeah, see, I don’t actually have the authority to do that.”

“Of course you do! In fact, it’s your duty! If it’s fraternization, she’s your subordinate, you’ve got to--”

Renji cut her off, “Actually, _he_ ’s my commander.”

“Your commander? But, that doesn’t make any sense. That’s the captain….” Nanako stuttered to a halt. Her mouth formed a perfect ‘oh,’ and her eyes became wide as the realization hit. “The captain? You mean…? Not you and the captain! No… no way. You, I could believe… but him!? No. You’re making this up.”

Renji gathered up the papers with a sigh. “Yeah, well, start trying to wrap your head around it, Fourth Seat. Thing is, it don’t matter if you believe it or not--that’s what the charges are going to say if they come down. That’s what the rumors are going to be. And, you need to know it’s true.”

Nanako’s gaze dropped to her lap, and she seemed unable to breathe. 

Renji stood up and hunted around the office for something to put the revised schedules into. Leaving Nanako to her own thoughts, he rooted through the things on the Third’s desk for any other Division work he’d need to be aware of. 

Several long moments passed before Nanako spoke. In a voice uncertain and quiet, she asked, “Are we losing you, Lieutenant?”

Renji looked up, over his shoulder. Her brown skin had an ashen cast and her usually firm and steady gaze quivered with uncharacteristic doubt. He turned around to face her, letting his butt slump up against the Third’s desk. “I don’t know,” he said hollowly. “I don’t know how any of this is going to shake out. The captain isn’t making immediate plans to transfer me beyond my assignment to the Human World. After that…?” He shook his head, “After that, is anyone’s guess.”

Her face crumpled into a pinched expression. Standing up, she strode over and slapped him hard across the cheek. Renji let his face turn with the blow and her words slam into him: “You should’ve kept your goddamn pants on! What the fuck were you thinking with, boy? Because it wasn’t your head!”

He just nodded. Quietly, his face still turned away, he told her: “You’re going to make a fine lieutenant, Nanako.”

“Shut up! I don’t want to hear that right now. I’m mad at you. I really… really respected you, and now I don’t know what to think.”

That was fair. He took in a deep breath and found the strength to meet her eyes again. He stood up, making her back up a pace. “That’s why I wanted to give you the heads-up. The division needs you squared away when all this comes down the pike. I don’t care what you decide about me in the end, because I don’t doubt for a second that you’ve the division’s back. You’ll do whatever’s right for the Sixth. I know you probably don’t believe me right now, but that’s what I want too. That’s what the captain wants.”

“That’s why this hurts so much, Renji,” she said. “I don’t understand why you’d do this to us. Why would you… just for… just for what, a quickie on the captain’s desk?”

“I love him,” Renji said simply. “I’m in love with him.”

Her eyes scanned his face as if trying to read the truth. Finally, Nanako said, “You’d better be. That’s the only way this makes any sense.”

Renji nodded. It seemed like they’d come to a sort of détente for the moment, so he said, “Listen, you only got to put up with me for a couple more days. Then, I’m shipped out and you and the captain’ll have all the time you need to make things right between you. You just got to hold out until I’m gone.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

He didn’t. So he waited for her to clue him in. Nanako’s fists were balled at narrow hips, and Renji watched her carefully in case she was going to take a swing at him again. One he’d take; a second was bordering on insubordination.

“I don’t want you gone,” she said finally, fury straining her voice. “I don’t want this broken. That’s what’s best for the Sixth, Renji: you and the captain, side-by-side. That’s what your selfish screwing around wrecks. We should all be together, as a team, and now we can’t be.”

Renji didn’t know what to say to that. The thought of all that could be lost was killing him, too. When the heat of her glare was joined by the fire of her zanpakutō, Renji raised his hands for peace. He didn’t want to fight any more, especially since he couldn’t win. “I do get that, I do,” Renji said calmly. “But, I can’t stop loving him, Nanako. It _is_ selfish--because, even if I could stop, I wouldn’t.”

Her eyes seemed to soften a little. “You’re serious about love? You’re that far gone?”

Renji nodded. “I’m lost. Hopelessly.”

“I’ve never see you like this,” she admitted, stepping back another pace to look him up and down. “It makes me a little more comforted to think that maybe you followed your heart and not just your dick.”

Well, one followed after the other, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “Can you take over here?” he asked her. “I mean, at least for tonight? If you need some time to think about all this, I can see about—“

“No,” Nanako cut him off sharply. “Go. We’re already down a Third Seat. I won’t make it a Fourth. I’ll take care of things.” She gave him a hard glare, “You knew I would no matter what. You’re on my list for that.”

Renji expected no less. “The Fifth will relieve you at 22:00.”

She was already moving into place behind his desk. She shook her head at him, making the braids swish. “Go on, you and the captain better sort this. It’s a damn fine mess.”

Gathering the last of his things, Renji headed for the door. Even though he knew she’d snarl at him, he said, “Thank you.”

#

Renji kicked off his sandals in front of the captain’s office. He didn’t even have a chance to raise his hand to knock before Byakuya said, “Come in, Renji.”

As he slid open the door, he lifted the folder with the schedules to show Byakuya. “I think I got most things worked out, but when I was looking over Miisho’s desk, I realized we got one potentially serious hole.”

“Oh?” Byakuya had risen to ring the servants, and now directed Renji back to the desk with a gesture. “What is it?”

“Your family and staff,” Renji said. Tossing the folder onto Byakuya desk, Renji sank cross-legged to the floor. “Miisho was our liaison. I’ve never done any of that. I don’t even know what all is involved, but his diary is full of stuff.” Renji pulled that out from the pile to set it on top.

“Damn it,” Byakuya hissed through his teeth after taking the book and flipping through its pages. “I had no idea the Third was this well acquainted with so many of my relatives. But, of course, I should have remembered that the Sixth provides the security details for all their travels.”

Renji could see Byakuya’s mental gears grinding though the family politics as he continued to flip through pages and examine entries. Renji felt out of his league. Finding an extra bowl on the tea tray, he poured a cup for himself. “Yeah, but he ain’t going to contact any of them on his own, is he? He’s…” Renji tried to remember if he knew anything about Miisho’s background at all, and came up completely blank. “Wait, what, he’s not a noble, is he?”

“No, not yet, but look at this,” Byakuya held up a folded note that Renji had mistaken for a simple bookmark, “Personal correspondence with Aunt Masama. They’re friends, Renji. Not only that, but she’s arranged a marriage for him--a socially advantageous one, no less. Did you even know Miisho was engaged to my fifth cousin?”

Renji shook his head, “I never hung out with the guy. We kept things strictly business.”

Honestly, Renji never liked the Third that much on a personal level. They got along okay and he was extremely competent at his job, but Zabimaru took an instant dislike to Miisho’s zanpakutō, Hōmushi. Even though its real name was ‘Warrior of the Law,’ Zabimaru always snidely called it by its homonym, ‘Little Leaf Bug.’ 

Byakuya was re-reading the note earnestly, so, after sipping the lukewarm tea, Renji said, “I don’t even know what a fifth cousin is. Is that close?”

“Not really,” Byakuya explained, his eyes still scanning the diary anxiously, “Though she’s done him a huge honor, essentially making him a Kuchiki.”

“But they’re not married yet,” Renji pointed out.

“No, but it’s arranged. There’s a contract,” Byakuya said, bringing a tea bowl to his lips absently, and seemed startled to find it empty. Setting it down firmly, Byakuya sought out Renji’s eyes. “He’s gone right to her. Yamamoto isn’t going to be our problem, Renji. My aunt is.”

Somehow this news sent spikes of ice into the center of Renji’s gut.

#

Byakuya’s head was spinning. She had a _spy_. In the middle of his own division--right under his nose—all this time, Aunt Masama had a spy. 

And, Byakuya had no idea that the Third Seat had been so _socially_ ambitious. Miisho had always been a steady, if uninteresting soldier--high enough ranked, but with no real spark to push him further. Byakuya had always assumed Miisho had gone as far as he wanted. But clearly he’d set his sights on a different kind of advancement.

Now, after Renji tossed him in the street, he was running straight into the welcoming arms of Aunt Masama.

To Byakuya’s family.

His _family_ …. 

His family was going to hear of another Inuzuri lover.

Only this one would be everything they ever feared. There would be no talking them down by showing them a perfectly-behaved, soft-spoken, demure and obedient companion. No. Renji with his tattoos, brash manner, and undeniable power would frighten them to the core.

A lack of any real power whatsoever had been Hisana’s saving grace. She could never be much of a threat, frail and sick. But even before that, Hisana had been able to serve as a shining example of what his family expected of someone lifted up out of the Rukongai—obsequious and grateful. They resisted Rukia much harder because she came armed with a zanpakutō and Academy training, but Byakuya had convinced them she would remain unseated and had gone to great pains to make sure she always appeared before them properly coached, in kimono, and without Sode no Shirayuki. It helped that she looked so much like Hisana: small, delicate, and… female. 

Renji, on the other hand…

Gods forbid they should ever see him in action, hear the roar of Zabimaru. 

They would be utterly terrified. It wouldn’t help matters that Miisho would appear before them bruised and beaten by Renji’s hand. Byakuya’s family would see every mark on Miisho’s body as a personal attack against their nobility. Byakuya could almost hear their outrage already. Renji wasn’t worthy to touch their hems, how dare he raise a fist to one of their own.

Thank fate Renji would be safe in the Human World.

Because they’d want him put down like a stray dog. And, sadly, there was hardly a noble house who wouldn’t agree. 

Byakuya was vaguely aware of Renji’s voice at the door talking to the servant girl, Aio. “I don’t think he’ll eat much, but we should try to get something into him. Maybe tell Miki to go with something simple, like she made me the other night?”

“My lord?”

Byakuya waved her away. “Listen to the lieutenant. I can’t think about such details right now.”

After a few moments, Renji said softly, “You see what I mean, Aio? Just bring anything. Maybe break out a bottle of sake for him, though, would you? It’s been a rough day.”

Renji sounded as shattered as Byakuya felt. Byakuya glanced up from where he’d been staring blankly at the pages of the Third’s diary. Renji stood at the door, an arm resting on the doorframe and leaning down as he spoke to Aio, who dutifully knelt outside. “Sake, yes,” Byakuya said. “Tell Eishirō a simple muroka of any sort will do.”

Aio appeared deeply relieved to receive a specific order directly from Byakuya. She made her bows and backed away to do his bidding. Renji watched her leave and seemed to track something in the practice yard for a moment. Profound sadness crossed his face before he carefully slid the door shut. Lumbering back to his spot across from Byakuya, Renji sank down heavily. He looked ready to put his head down on the desk, but, instead, he straightened his shoulders with a little shake and asked, “So, the family’s going to shit, huh?”

Byakuya couldn’t help but laugh a little, “A bit. But that’s my concern, Renji. On a practical level, aunt Masama can’t travel here in less than a day, and that’s provided she packs nothing and leaves without her usual entourage. You’ll likely be gone by the time she arrives.”

Renji gathered up the tea things and set them on the tray. “I guess that’s a good thing,” he said. “But you’ll have to face them on your own.”

Byakuya couldn’t help but smile. “You’re kind to wish to intercede on my behalf, but I don’t see that going well, do you?”

Renji snorted a little laugh as he put the last bowl on the tray, “Yeah, no. Not with my temper.”

Exactly. Byakuya would have enough trouble managing his own emotions. Renji took the tea tray and set it outside the door. Byakuya admired how quickly Renji seemed to understand the behavior expected of him. Certainly, he never would have been required to do anything like this for Kenpachi Zaraki. He must have learned it all in the few months in service here. If only his family could see this side of the man….

But they wouldn’t.

They would never be able to get past the rough surface. The tattoos alone would put them into a tailspin.

Byakuya shook his head. One crisis at a time. That was the only way they’d get through all this. Renji seemed to be preoccupied with his own thoughts when he plunked back down in his place across from Byakuya. “Something’s troubling you,” Byakuya said. “What is it?”

Renji squinted up at Byakuya, and then rubbed the back of his neck. “What’s the official story going to be? I mean to the Division. I already got people asking about what happened.”

“I would prefer to say nothing,” Byakuya said. He set the diary aside for later perusal. If he looked at it any more right now, he’d get physically ill. 

“I guess that’s your prerogative, Taicho,” Renji frowned at the schedules on the desk for a moment. Then, he looked up with a wan smile, “But I can’t pull off that silent, unapproachable thing you do; I got to say something. What do you want me to tell people? We should work out some kind of official statement, don’t you think?”

It was a difficult problem. People had heard the beginnings of an accusation clearly directed at Renji, though, thankfully, it had been vague enough. However, they’d be facing rumors soon—though possibly not from the court guard, unless, of course, the Third hedged his bets and reported to Yamamoto, as well.

Regardless, they should start thinking in terms of their defense. The truth was, fraternization was a difficult charge to prove. Unless the Twelfth Division had spy cameras in Byakuya’s private chambers, it wasn’t likely that the Third Seat could produce physical evidence to back up his charge. Of course, they had been indiscreet in the Human World, but the likelihood that Miisho would think to ask the outlawed Captain Urahara for a sex tape was slim.

It was, therefore, a reputation game. Would people believe Miisho? 

Outside of the division, Byakuya had no doubt that people emphatically would not. People still berated Byakuya for his perceived harshness when Renji went after Ichigo on his own. Byakuya had imprisoned him and publicly called for a dismissal. Then, they’d had a very destructive, bloody fight. To an outside observer, it would seem truly ludicrous that they could ever be lovers.

The only problem was the issue of Renji’s punishment. It was officially, on paper, perfectly within the prescribed parameters of what a soldier could expect to face for insubordination and dereliction of duty. However, a fairly strong case could be made that ‘confinement’ was clearly not enforced, thus eroding ‘good order and discipline’ and undermining morale. 

That might show poor judgment on Byakuya’s part, but could it be directly connected to fraternization? No, not easily.

“Perhaps,” Byakuya said at long last, “We simply need to say there was a personal disagreement between the two of you, and that the Third, unhappy with my decision in the matter, left.”

It was true, after all, if a bit simplified. The nice thing was that it dovetailed neatly into any accusations of favoritism, which, should they be leveled, Byakuya would simply admit to. It might be frowned on to treat one soldier differently than another, but it wasn’t a crime per se. Byakuya was allowed to run his division however he liked. It was bad for morale, but he was within his rights to play any favorites he wished. Other captains behaved this way all the time. Given Byakuya’s reputation, it would be a bit of a shock and Yamamoto might even feel compelled to reprimand him, but there was nothing illegal about it.

Renji blinked a few times. Finally, he said, “That’s it? That’s all we say? He got mad and left?”

Byakuya could instantly see how difficult this would be for Renji. “I’ll make the announcement, Renji. No one will question me, and you’d only be required to uphold my word.”

Renji looked visibly relieved. “Yeah, okay. I guess I can handle that, and at least it’s not a lie.”

Aio was at the door with dinner and Byakuya took a moment to call her in. She set down the tray and offered him the bottle of sake for inspection. “Yes, that will do nicely. Thank you.” After Aio bowed and left, Byakuya opened the bottle. “Now, the only other thing we have to immediately deal with is your brother and Soi Fon.”

Renji held out his bowl to be filled. The instant there was sake in it he tipped it back and then held out the bowl again. “I don’t want to think about that,” he admitted. “I mean what the fuck? Why’d he do this to me? It’s going to suck to stand there and ask him all the shit the Second wants to know, with them watching us both. Doesn’t he know I have to come down harder on him than almost anyone else? And how am I supposed to do that? He’s my brother.”

Refilling Renji’s bowl, Byakuya nodded. “I’m sure that’s exactly why he held out for you. He’s hoping you won’t be able to.”

“Yeah, well, he’s got my number all right,” Renji snarled, setting the sake bowl down long enough to look under the baskets. It seemed the cook had taken Renji at his word and gone with a simple one-pot meal, a tonjiru, a gingered pork stew with various vegetables. Renji started ladling out their portions, while continuing to grumble, “The Second is out of their gourd if they think I’m the guy for this job. I’m not going to be able to stand it if they’ve… ah, hell, and you know they did, too. He’s been worked over good already. I shouldn’t even walk into that place. It’s going to piss me off.”

“Yes,” Byakuya agreed. Maybe that was why Soi Fon had chosen to request a sort of transfer of command? Perhaps she’d wanted to have the authority to punish Renji if he couldn’t make his brother talk? Or… was she hoping that Renji would reveal his own loyalties to his brother’s cause? That thought made a shiver creep down Byakuya’s spine and reaffirmed his sense that he’d done the right thing demanding to be at Renji’s side. “But, I don’t know how we can avoid it. You must be very, very careful, Renji.”

After bringing the bowl to his lips, Renji sighed. “I’ll be lucky. I can’t even hold my temper when Miisho starts in on the dog crap I’ve heard a million times. What am I going to be like when I see Seichi’s face all bashed in?”

“I doubt they’ve bruised him anywhere obvious. That’s hardly their style.”

Renji stopped mid-chew to stare at Byakuya for a long time. Then, he swallowed hard. “That right there is why they scare the shit out of me.”

“As well they should,” Byakuya agreed, tasting the stew. “I will do my best to control as much of the situation as possible. I’ll try to insist on our preferences wherever I can, but we’re walking into the lion’s den, make no mistake about that.”

“When are we not lately? Jeez, I can’t believe I’m looking forward to fighting whatever the fuck Arrancars are.”

Byakuya nodded. “I envy you. A straightforward enemy would be a relief.”

**Author's Note:**

> A thank-you has to go to Josey (cestus) for her help with Japanese zanpakuto names (and snarky homonyms!) as well as the usual cheerleading, beta-ing, and typo spotting. You're awesome! Thanks!


End file.
